Shadows Of the Past
by Sorayathehedgehog
Summary: "I'm not invincible or unstoppable, but I stay strong because it's the only way to survive in this world."


**Alright, so I had decided to make a fanfiction of Sonic the Hedgehog. Know that it is rated T due to later chapters with it having blood and curse words later on.**

 **I wanted it to kind of resemble the game Sonic and the Black Knight; however I have my very own little twist to it!**

 **There will be OC and Canon character romance in later chapters as a warning, and even Cannon X Cannon Character romance too, just a fair warning.**

 **I am always up for suggestions to make the story interesting, so leave a comment with a suggestion or what you thought of the story.**

 **Anyway, onto the chapter!**

…

" _ **Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough."**_

 _ **\- Og Mandino**_

Smoke surrounded the wooden structure of the cottage. Various objects lay scattered amongst the home as they were all set ablaze. A young maiden, of age ten, lay in her warm, comforting bed; trying, to capture glimpses of the dreams that her brain continued to show her. Though, those pleasant dreams that her mother had told her a few hours ago was for naught, as her eyes shot open as if on instinct. The young, sunflower-pelted hedgehog's nose twitched, catching a whiff of the scent that trailed within her nasal cavities. What was going on? Everything seemed just fine before she had gone to sleep, so why was this happening now?

Worry was noticeable upon her features as she looked around for the source, finding none. However, hearing the sound of laughter from the outside world caused her ears to flick slightly. She ran over to the open window that was in her room since the sounds of the night always helped her to fall asleep, and the sound of galloping horses reverberated in her lobes; making out the snorts and clomping of hooves that the beasts made. Though, one figure stood out from everything. A dark-cloaked man, with only one eye, that shone from the starlight. The eye was the color of a newly lit fire, and if you looked closely, blue flecks were noticeable within his eyes as well as his ebony steed reared on its hind legs and neighing loudly before galloping off by its master's command.

Soraya could sense that something was wrong, and all she could think about was making sure if her parents were alright. Her heart raced at the thought of something being wrong with them, and it petrified her to no end. She had no other family; her parents were all she had! Without thinking about getting out of the cottage, she raced over to where her parents resided for the night, and the scenery before her when she reached them literally brought her to her knees.

Two corpses lie together upon the ground. Her parents, lying side-by-side, blood oozing from gashes that appeared upon their bodies and showing no life within them. Soraya could not even bring herself to stand as she felt her legs lock, not even able to move as she collapsed to her knees. Her eyes would widen, not even knowing what to do with the situation that lie in front of her. Obviously her parents were not alive, so what could a mere ten year old do?

"Oh God, Mom…Dad…," she would choke out, tears streaming down her cheeks as she let out all the emotions that surrounded her mind and body. Smoke continued to surround her nostrils as the blazing fire continued to bring heat to her pelt, causing sweat to drip from her brow. However, one thing did catch her off guard. Near the body of her now deceased mother, lay the ruby necklace that her mother possessed. How did it appear next to her mother and was not around her neck?

She would quickly grab the necklace and placed it around her neck in almost record timing. Flames continued to course throughout the cottage as she took one last glimpse of her parents, tears still streaming down her cheeks and dropping onto the floor before her. Soraya would soon turn her body and bolt out of the window that was open in her room, watching her entire house being engulfed in a fiery inferno. One thing was on the young maiden's mind: to find her killer and bring justice to the one that took away everything she once held dear.

-Meanwhile-

Her stomach would growl in absolute hunger. It had been four days since she had eaten something, and the pain that her stomach was causing was not something she wished to go through at the moment. Her topaz-colored eyes shifted, trying to find some source of food that she could rummage up for the meantime. However, no such luck happened to present itself as a sigh escaped her. So, she continued walking, listening to some birds that sang their harmonious tune. Right now, the image of her parents lying dead upon the ground continued to play in her head continuously. Soraya felt as if her mind was playing tricks on her, causing her to continue to think about the reason why she wanted to get revenge to begin with. Her fists clenched in absolute pain and rage. She was so busy thinking about the scenery that occurred a couple days ago, not even realizing after, what seemed like an eternity, she had come across a village.

As the young maiden entered the town, she wondered why it was she who had to suffer the most. Everything was taken from her in one single moment, and in a place where she was supposed to feel safe no less. Tears threatened to roll down her cheeks, but she fought the urge to bawl. She had to get some food within her stomach or the continuous pain would do nothing but slow her down. Where she was supposed to go- she hadn't a clue.

Her topaz eyes shifted from home to home, even happening to glance upward at the sight of a large castle. The stone structure was rather magnificent to look at as a small smile spread across her lips.

Living in a castle had to be anyone's dream, she was sure of it. However, everyone has their own dreams and accomplishments they wish to fulfill in life.

Her eyes seemed to keep taking glances at the amazing stone structure that was the castle. The structure towered over her and the village, almost as if the center point of the entire area as the King and Queen kept watch over their loyal subjects. Though she was more of the adventurous type, she would take anything if it meant she could learn to wield a sword and take down the one responsible for her parent's deaths.

Pain coursed through her stomach again, almost as if her stomach had a mind of its own and didn't want her to lose sight of getting food. With a defeated sigh, she walked through the town again. Many people, both rich and poor, scattered the town. Their bickering rung in her ears, but though she liked to look at some of the clothing that the rich wore, she had to get food or otherwise she would more than likely collapse if this continued for too long. Though, the chances of a kind handing out food to those who absolutely needed it were more than a slim chance, she had to try; even if it meant that she stole the food that she needed to get her strength up.

The sunflower-colored maiden kept her blue eyes focused on the land around her, eyes shifting on any stands that had obvious signs of food upon them. After a couple minutes of walking, she managed to hit a stand that was selling bread. The man who was selling it was too busy bargaining with a customer to even bother noticing her advancements. She kept her eyes focused on the bread before shifting her attention to the man. There was a sword leaning against the edge of a wall where his stand was set up. With a large lump forming within the maiden's throat, it was either now or never. With a quick bolt, she lunged forward and latched onto the first loaf of bread that she could see.

Though she was quick, the salesman had finished talking with the customer to notice her take what was his. Grabbing her by the shoulder, Soraya would yelp in surprise before turning her attention to the man who had rage noticeable within his eyes. His deep brown eyes appeared to be looking into her soul, his hand clenching even tighter around her shoulder. He appeared to be in his late forties, but looks can be deceiving.

"Just where do you think you're going, thief?!" He barked, eyes narrowing. Soraya was not going to stick around and see the punishment that was awaiting her. With a quick twist she kicked the man in the knee, causing him to release her shoulder as she bolted off; the sound of the man hollering in the background as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her back into the confines of the forest where she had found the village to begin with. Her stomach would growl once again as she sat down and gulped down the bread at a rather quick pace, finishing in within ten minutes if someone were to count the time it took for her to finish it.

"Well, not bad getting rid of the salesmen, kid. You definitely have speed and cunning, I'll give you that," a voice rung out causing her to bolt upright, looking around for the source of the voice. A hedgehog like herself stood in front of her, his chocolate brown eyes focusing upon her blue eyes. His red cape swayed gently in the wind as his black boots covered his feet. Blue fur covered the man's body as well as his quills were the same color, pointing backwards as a tuft of brown hair was noticeable in front of him.

"I just wanted some food. I never even wanted to steal from that man, but I was desperate," Soraya spoke, her voice sounding guilty but also depressed. "Believe me, I was just hungry and didn't have the intention to anger anyone…"

The blue hedgehog gave a calm smile, his eyes showing kindness and compassion within them as he focused his attention on the young girl before him. "Child, what are the reasons why you must steal? Yes, we are living in a dark world it may seem, but that is no reason to take what belongs to someone."

Soraya turned her cranium to the side, closing her eyes. She didn't have the heart to say what happened to her a couple days ago, and if she did, she was sure that she would bawl once again. Deep down, her parents would have wanted her to be strong. Though holding it inside was not something she liked to do, but she was in front of a stranger not someone she knew. So, should she even cry? Her body told her to keep everything inside, but her heart told her otherwise as she closed her eyes tightly, fighting the urge to do so.

The stranger tilted his head slightly in question, kneeling down so that he was eye-level with the child in front of him, "Obviously there is something wrong or you would not be fighting the urge to cry right now." He spoke, his voice sounding serious yet calming to anyone who would listen to it.

The sunflower hedgehog opened her eyes, tears dripping from her eyes as she focused on the deep, brown eyes that the man possessed. Should she even say anything to him? Her mother did tell her not to talk to strangers, but she felt like she could trust this man.

"My parents were killed a couple days ago by this dark knight. I couldn't get a good look at him due to the fact that it was night outside. But, his one eye that he had resembled that of a newly lit fire, and blue flecks were slightly noticeable too." The stranger would close his eyes, clenching his fist.

Soraya tilted her head, perhaps he had witnessed this knight or ruler before? If he hadn't he would not be on edge this very moment.

"I have been having issues with this knight. He has been destroying a lot of our kingdom as of now, so I'm trying my best to come up with a solution for him. Anyway, may I have your name?" He spoke, causing Soraya to be a bit on edge and backing away a few steps due to uneasiness and fright, causing the man to give a small chuckle, his smile widening a bit more. "You have no reason to be afraid in my presence, Child. What is your name?"

"S-Soraya, Sir," she spoke, giving a bashful smile and moving her left over her right foot showing the absolute shyness that was noticeable upon her features. The man smiled and patted her head gently. The feeling of the man nearly made Soraya give a small smile, but she stayed perfectly still, afraid that if she moved even more she might do something wrong in the man's eyes.

"Well, Soraya, you do not have to afraid. I love all my subjects equally, which may sound a bit weird to a child, huh?" He rubbed the back of his neck with embarrassment showing upon his face. Soraya gave a small smile, nodding ever so slightly yet noticeably. "Well, I am King Jules. It's nice to meet one of my subjects."

Soraya's eyes would widen slightly. She knew there had to be some kind of reason as to why he was wearing a cape, but, at least she had a reason to it now. She dipped her head respectfully to the man she knew now as the King to the land that she inhabited. Her eyes stayed closed as the cerulean hedgehog placed his hand delicately on her hand.

"There is no reason you should be bowing to me, Soraya. I am not one to want this kind of respect all the time, and to go out and see the world is a good thing too. Being cooped up in a castle is something that I do not really enjoy, so sometimes I sneak out and watch the world with my own eyes instead through windows and closed doors," Jules explained, his eyes shifting to the sunlight as it glistened off his eyes, making them shimmer almost like gems. He brought his cranium back down to look at the yellow maiden in front of him, smile still noticeable upon his features. "Come, perhaps the castle might need someone as strong as you within it."

Soraya nearly laughed at the statement. Strong, that was the term you used for someone who was willing to fight and be brave. She was not brave, in fact she bawled when she saw her parent's dead and did not even bother trying to save them if she could. All she did was run away from her problems, and even stole from an unsuspecting salesman and was nearly in trouble for it. Strong people never do those types of things, especially in her eyes. There was nothing she could really do now as her eyes closed, her feet shuffling upon the ground as she followed the king to the castle where he resided.

 **...**

Sounds of talking and shuffling of feet echoed in her ears as she looked around, watching as some of the people that resided in the confines of the village would look to their king bowing and showing respect and admiration toward him. Her eyes would not even focus on the people's eyes, just focusing on the back of the King as they headed to his castle. But, before she even had time to talk or even think, the castle came into their line of vision. Her eyes would see that the stone structure that housed the royal family was even larger than she anticipated. There had to be five or more floors if one were to think about it. Her eyes would widen at the structure even more.

She would focus her attention back in front of her as two guards with metal helmets, iron chest plates and spears stood in front of the entrance. When they saw the King, they immediately removed the spears that were blocking the King's path and dipped their head in respect. However, they let him go they blocked Soraya's path, causing her to jump from the sudden action.

Jules turned and looked to the girl with a small chuckle, "Guards, it is alright. This child is with me." Suddenly the spears would soon return to the men's sides and she bolted through afraid that if she took too long they would bring the spears back down upon her. She would look around, eyes perplexed on the courtyard that she could see in the back.

Jules smiled and placed his hand firmly on the young girl's shoulder, "Come on, let me introduce you to my wife and my son, who are more than likely in the courtyard, right now."

She would nod as she heard the sound of laughing nearby. The young maiden tilted her head in curiosity as Jules kept her hand on his shoulder, leading her over to where she saw a woman watching over various children that looked to be playing nearby. All except for one it seemed. Soraya believed that the woman standing and watching the others play was the Queen herself.

She did not have many changes in appearance to the king, though she had blonde locks that went off to the side of her forehead. A purple dress flowed freely down her body with gold trim around the side of the dress, having a v-neck design as well for her chest. Almost on cue, her head would turn to see her 'mate' approaching, though her eyes shown a hint of worry and concern upon seeing young Soraya beside him as she walked over.

"Jules, you know that we are not allowed to steal someone from their home," Bernadette joked to her husband, smiling as she kissed the man's cheek gently. Jules could only laugh as he looked to Soraya.

"Bernie, I would like you to meet Soraya. She had it rough the last couple of days, and I thought maybe bringing her here to meet everyone might cheer her up." He brought his face closer to Bernadette's ear, his lips almost touching it as he spoke, "Her parent's were killed by the dark knight from our neighboring kingdom. I thought she could maybe stay here since I bumped into her in the woods a little while ago." He would remove his mouth to stop the whispering.

Bernadette's face saddened, her eyes showing kindness and remaining calm in front of the young girl. "Well, I'm sure that maybe she could stay here as a guest," she exclaimed, her eyes softening some as Soraya smiled and dipped her head respectfully in the Queen's direction.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ma'am," Soraya spoke, though her eyes would widen when another blue hedgehog bolted beside Bernadette, appearing to be the same age as Soraya and the other children she recently saw hanging out within the courtyard in which they were standing in.

"Who is she, Mother? An enemy, a spy, someone that will cause trouble to the kingdom," the boy asked, his raising slightly in concern. Bernadette and Jules could only laugh at their son as Jules went down on one knee and looked at his son.

"Arthur, this is Soraya, she will be our guest for a while. Treat her with the utmost respect. You hear my words, boy?" The boy, or Arthur as he was announced as, scoffed at his father before looking to Soraya.

"Father, you know how much I hate that name." He rolled his eyes and met Soraya's gaze, a small smile spreading across his lips as he held his hand out for Soraya to shake. "You can call me Sonic as I would rather be called," he explained, causing the young sunflower hedgehog to nod before shaking his hand slowly. "Well, hope you enjoy your stay. Anyway, come and play with me and the others when you are finished with whatever my parents have planned for you!" He bolted back to his friends within a second.

Soraya had to blink a couple times to see if what she saw actually happened before turning to Jules and Bernadette. Bernadette smiled and took the young girl's hand, "You look to be the same age as my son and his friends. Come with me and we shall get you into some better clothing," she smiled, Soraya following without any arguments.

For as of right now, she was apart of the royal family, well a guest no doubt. Hopefully she didn't screw anything up as she already did, and the thought made her determined to become stronger and braver for her parents sake; even the royal family's sake as well.

… **.**

 **Hello everyone, I hope you liked the first chapter. I apologize for it being slow, but expect it to be picking up pace next chapter!**

 **I am always up for suggestions so leave a comment to leave one, or if there is any way to make my story better, let me know!**

 **Have a good day/night, everyone!**


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